3 Jacksonville Players To Watch Against Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies Coach Bucky McMillan knows that his team is still taking steps in the right direction, even though it is taking a little longer than he had hoped.

After the overtime loss to SMU, he knows that the defense is getting there, but he has to do what he can before conference play starts.

To fix and learn from the mistakes, it’ll have to limit these three shooters from heating up after a long road trip against three ACC teams.

Chris Arias, Guard

Chris Arias playing defense. — Nov 26, 2024; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Siena Saints guard Gavin Doty (14) is guarded by Jacksonville Dolphins guard Chris Arias (1) in the first half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The young sophomore who wears No. 1 and is in his second season with the Dolphins is the leading scorer, averaging 11 points per game. He is very intelligent when he steps on the floor and is aware of his teammates who are trying to run a play.

The average rebounding numbers that Arias is hauling in are 3.6 rebounds. He is very physical and uses his 6-foot-6 body to block out when a shot is taken. His best game of the year came against VMI when he recorded 24 points.

There have been six games in which he has reached the double-digit mark. From the field, he is knocking down 38.9 percent of his shots and is also 37.1 percent from downtown. Another part of his game that stands out is his caliber to get to the free-throw line, where he is 85.7 percent.

Jaylen Jones, Guard

Jaylen Jones driving to the basket against Miami. — Nov 3, 2025; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Dolphins guard Jaylen Jones (2) drives to the basket against Miami Hurricanes center Salih Altuntas (11) and guard Tre Donaldson (3) during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

When the Jacksonville coaching staff goes into a game, they know they are going to play Jaylen Jones because he is very in shape and can shoot at a dynamic level. Out of the entire roster, Jones is leading his teammates with the most minutes played at 25.2.

From the field, the native of Nashville, Tennessee, is going 53.7 percent from the field, so he is arguably one of the guys A&M’s defense has to be cautious about, or the game can get out of hand early in the second period again.

This season, Jones’s best game also came against VMI, where he accumulated 17 points. Throughout the year, he averages 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The six-foot junior baller will give it his all against the Aggies, even if he is facing an SEC school.

Donovan Rivers, Forward

Having a forward like Rivers is one of the main reasons that the Dolphins have been able to set up open shots and win the rebounding battle. The product of Columbia, South Carolina, is one of the tallest men on the roster, listed at 6-foot-9.

As a junior, Rivers has experienced the last three seasons with the Jacksonville program and knows what his coaching staff expects of him. Three of the nine games he has played in, he has reached double digits, where his best night came against Bethune-Cookman with his 13-point showing. He averages only 17 minutes per game, so if he earns a favorable amount of time, the A&M defense might struggle against the shooter, who is shooting 60.5 percent from the field.